Hit and Run
by YatoShrine
Summary: "The first thing Bolin notices when he comes to is the smell of burnt rubber and something else metallic and coppery underneath it." In their hunt for Aiwei, the jeep is hit hard in an ambush. In the aftermath of the wreck, Bolin struggles to orient himself. He's going to have to pull himself together fast, though, because if he doesn't, Mako is going to die.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Set after book 3 episode 8, meant to be a 2-part one-shot. I hope you enjoy. :)**

The first thing Bolin notices when he comes to is the smell of burnt rubber and something else metallic and coppery underneath it. This isn't the first time he's smelled burnt rubber, he has spent some time around Asami and her cars, but it's the other smell that worries him. Something's wrong and he knows he needs to wake up, do something, but he can't seem to get his brain to work right just yet, let alone his eyes and limbs.

On second thought, maybe getting his brain to work again isn't such a good idea, because now that he's surfacing back into the real world, he can feel every ache and pain in his body, especially in his head. It feels like some earthbender's been wailing on it with a boulder and he's pretty sure the wetness he feels on the side of his face isn't water. He takes a moment to try and collect himself and push his muddled thoughts into action. He hurts, that's for sure, but other than his head, nothing feels like it's life-threatening.

Wait a second. Life threatening?

Bolin's eyes fly open as his memories come flooding back in a rush.

They'd been getting close to Aiwei when his trail had suddenly veered sharply toward a path up a hill too narrow for the jeep to follow. Mako, Bolin, and Asami had taken the jeep, intending to circle around and meet up with Korra and Naga, who would take the path ahead of them. If they moved fast enough, they thought, hopefully they could trap the traitor between them.

Asami had been driving, and if it'd been anyone else, Bolin would've feared for his life as they went careening off-road, barely avoiding trees. As it was, he clung tightly to the side of the jeep and kept his focus straight ahead. But then there'd been the explosion from their right. And the boulders. And no matter how fast Bolin tried to bend them out of their path, or how fast Asami yanked the steering wheel to try and avoid them, or how fast Mako tried to break them apart, they weren't fast enough.

They were hit hard and Bolin felt himself launched out the vehicle, panic nearly making him forget to do what earth bending he could to soften the blow of his landing. He hit the ground once, twice, then he was rolling and he couldn't seem to gain enough control of his limbs to stop it, so he went with it as best he could. Then he'd felt a spike of sharp pain as something struck his head and knew no more.

Until now. And he needs to get up and find out if Asami and his brother are okay, because they'd both still been in the vehicle when he'd been thrown off and neither of them had earthbending to soften their landings. So Bolin curls on his side and starts to get up, even though his head and everything is throbbing and he feels like he's going to throw up. When he makes it to his feet, he stumbles and nearly falls back down, but he manages to catch himself at the last minute and tries to look around without jarring his head too much.

He spots the wreck almost immediately. There's smoke curling up from the jeep leaning over on its right side against one of the large boulders and Bolin can only see the undercarriage from where he's standing. He doesn't know if Mako and Asami are still in there, but it's a place to start, so he makes his way unsteadily toward the now-useless heap of metal and parts.

It feels like it takes hours, days, even weeks to finally make his way over and around the jeep. When he finally reaches the other side, he sees Asami kneeling by the now-sideways passenger seat.

He could cry with the relief when he sees her because she looks battered and there's an angry gash on her right arm, but she's _alive_ and that'd been more than he'd hoped for only seconds before. She's talking to what must be Mako in the passenger seat in soothing tones, "...okay, Mako. You're going to be okay. I need to find Bolin. He's going to help me get you out, okay? Just hang in there." And that's Bolin's first clue that something is really, really wrong.

"Asami," he breaths as Asami turns to go, and she starts in surprise.

"Bolin?" Asami seems like she almost doesn't believe what she's seeing and freezes. But then her expression melts and she's pulling him into a tight hug. "Oh thank goodness! I thought you might be...When I saw you..." She chokes on the words, but Bolin squeezes her back in understanding, feeling his own throat tighten.

The moment doesn't last long though, because Asami collects herself quickly and pulls back. "Bolin...your brother...he's...it's...it's not pretty. Just...don't freak out, okay? We need to remain calm."

Bolin hears what she's saying and he understands she's right, but remaining calm has never really been his strong suit, and he can already feel his stomach plummet and his heart start to pound in his ears. He manages to nod at Asami though and they make their way over beside the passenger seat.

He sees Mako sitting there, his seatbelt still on, and if it wasn't for the bloodless pallor of his face and the pain lining his features, Bolin would've thought he was just sitting there. Waiting for him, maybe. Mako's glassy eyes light up when they see Bolin and he'd smiles weakly. "Hey, bro."

"Hey, Mako," Bolin says as calmly as he can though his voice still wavers slightly, anxiety twisting in his gut.

Bolin makes a few hesitant steps closer and peers over the passenger door into the car. Bile rises in his throat at the sight that greets him and Bolin has to look away before he remembers Asami's words. _We need to remain calm._

He forces himself to turn back and look at the reality of the situation in front of him, working overtime to keep his normally expressive features blank. The glass of the windshield had shattered in the wreck. Somehow, the metal frame for it had gotten twisted and bent out of shape. Gotten so twisted and bent that one end of it had been ripped from the car and whipped back straight through the passenger seat. Straight through where his brother was sitting. And its shredded, bloody end was now sticking through the back of the seat right through his brother's stomach.

Bolin fights down another wave of nausea. He can do this. He has to do this.

He needs to stay calm and think of something. Anything. It's hard, though, because there's blood. So much blood. And Mako is going to die if Bolin doesn't think of something and save him.

"Hey," Mako's voice is small and pained like his smile, "Thought of a good one."

Bolin has no idea what his brother is talking about and stares down at him bewildered. Apparently, Mako doesn't need any encouragement because he says, "I've heard of butterflies in the stomach but this..." And Mako pauses and his face grows even more pained for a moment, then continues, "But this takes the cake." He chuckles at his own joke before grimacing and falling silent.

Bolin doesn't laugh.

He's heard of people that get disjointed from reality like this when they're really sick or hurt really bad, and a wave of cold terror runs through him. No way is Mako dying.

"Bolin," Asami's voice at his side startles Bolin from his whirlwind thoughts. "You need to metalbend."

And if Bolin thought he was terrified before, it's nothing compared to the dread he feels now. "What?"

"The jeep's a lost cause, I checked. And we can't get him to a healer stuck like this. You need to separate the end from the section inside Mako so we can transport him somewhere safe and get it out of him."

"I-I can't!" He says, panicking now because he sees the truth in what she's saying, and he doesn't have what it takes to do it, "I've never been able to metalbend! I'm still learning!"

Asami doesn't back down, "Then think of this as a pop quiz you can't fail."

"But..."

"If you don't," Asami interrupts, "Mako is going to die."

And that's what it boils down to, doesn't it? Bolin will either succeed or fail and his older brother's life rests in his incapable hands. Mako's taken care of him since they were little and Mako was too young to be taking care of anybody. He's gotten Bolin out of more scrapes than he can remember over the years. This is his chance to return the favor. His brother needs him the most right now, and yet Bolin's not sure he can do this.

But he has to try or Mako is going to die.

Bolin squares his shoulders and clasps the metal in front of Mako with both hands. Bolin can feel his brother's blood on the metal, making it slippery in his grasp. He grips it tighter, careful not to move it, and closes his eyes. He wills the rest of the world around him out of existence and concentrates on the warm metal in his hands. He does his best to breathe evenly and fully, something he picked up from watching his brother practice firebending. He puts every fiber of himself into the seemingly impossible task in front of him.

He stays like this for several long moments, sweat forming between his shoulder blades and on his forehead.

Several more precious moments pass and Bolin's gritting his teeth now because it's not working. And he can't do this. His brother is going to die and it's going to be all because Bolin can't freaking metalbend to save his life...or his brother's. He can feel desperate tears stinging his eyes and he swallows hard. He can't fall apart now. "I'm so sorry, Mako." He says.

He stops short and opens his eyes when he feels a hand that's slick with blood clasp his forearm weakly. "'S'Okay..." Mako slurs, concern visible beneath the pain on his face. "S'Okay..."

And now Bolin is ashamed on top of everything else. Here Mako is, bleeding out in front of him, and he's trying to comfort Bolin. How pathetic is that?

Mako opens his mouth again to try and speak but Bolin hushes him. "Don't try to talk. You'll need your strength." _For the trip to the healer,_ Bolin adds mentally. Because even now he can feel his resolve solidifying in his gut. He doesn't care if it's impossible, he's going to metalbend and he's going to save his brother. He glances at Asami beside him who nods like she can see the change on his face.

He closes his eyes again and it's just him and the twisted metal in his hands. _Concentrate,_ he reminds himself. _Try to focus on the fine pieces of earth within the metal. _Su's words echo back at him. So he does. He feels its rough, tortured shape in his hands and searches, feeling like he's stretching his awareness tauter than he ever has before.

He concentrates like this until suddenly, it's more than just feeling the metal in his hands, it's like he can see their shape through his touch. A surge of elation runs through him and Bolin could sing. He's doing it! He's never gone this far before.

Now that he's really seeing it, he redoubles his search efforts. Probing the scrap of metal for the fine pieces of earth that make it part of a whole. There's one! Just beneath his thumb. And here! And over there! And as if by magic he's finding and seeing all the little bits of earth that make up the metal in his hands and he's wondering how he could never see it before.

Slowly, tentatively, he grips the metal harder, willing it to bend beneath his fingers. And to his surprise, it does, pliant as butter-but a lot harder to move. Bolin starts to twist the metal apart in his hands but stops short when Mako lets out a cry of pain. He'd been trying to move just the small section he was holding, but he must've accidentally moved the rest of its length anyway.

Mako's eyes have lost that glassy, dazed look and are wild with pain now, darting around frantically until they find Bolin's. "Hurts" he wheezes. And it's a testament to how messed up he is that he even tells Bolin.

"I know," Bolin says in the same soothing tone he remembers Mako using on him when they were younger. "It's going to be okay, though." And Mako must be really out of it by now because he just relaxes slightly and nods, his eyelids fluttering closed as if they'd been waiting for that simple reassurance before doing so.

Hands shaking a little now, Bolin grips the metal once again and squeezes while he bends, twisting as gently as he can manage. Mako twitches and lets out a few pained gasps, but he doesn't cry out this time, and Bolin counts that as a victory. With one last pull, Bolin has the section of metal connected to his brother separated from the end still connected to the jeep.

Bolin doesn't have time to celebrate the breakthrough he's made just then, because now he has to somehow get Mako out of the seat with the other end of the metal sticking through the back of the chair. His brother's back is pinned to the seat so there's no room in between to break it off that way. He's going to have to carefully pull his brother and the metal forward enough to unpin him from the seat, then pull him out of the car.

It seems like Asami must've come to the same conclusion he has, because she's suddenly behind the passenger seat, pulling out a knife he didn't realize she had and starts to carefully cut a wider hole around the metal sticking through it so they won't have to jerk it and his brother to get it free. She's efficient and steady with her hands and it only takes a few moto cut a good enough hole for their purposes.

Bolin glances at the strap of the seat-belt helping the metal hold his brother upright. He turns to Asami, "I'm going to unbuckle him now. Do you think you can hold onto him so he doesn't fall?"

Asami nods and wraps her arms around the front of Mako's chest from behind the passenger seat. "Okay, you should be okay to unbuckle him now."

Bolin nods back and reaches over his brother, careful not to jostle the metal, and unlatches the seatbelt. Thanks to Asami's tight hold, his brother doesn't shift and Bolin breaths a short sigh of relief. Now all he's got to do is pull his brother off and out of the seat. This would be a piece of cake compared to the metalbending he assures himself. He then places one hand on his brother's chest and squeezes one between his back and the seat. "I'm going to lean him forward now." Bolin tells Asami.

He grits his teeth and begins to gently push his brother forward, eliciting a choked sob from him. "I'm sorry," Bolin murmurs guiltily, but he doesn't stop, because the longer he prolongs this, the worse it's going to be for Mako. As quickly as he can while still being careful, Bolin leans his brother forward until the length of metal clears the hole Asami'd cut and he pulls his brother out of the jeep.

He lands in an ungraceful heap on the ground, bearing the full brunt of the fall and is painfully reminded of his own injuries.

Bolin doesn't waste any time dwelling on the fact because now that his brother is free, they need to find a healer. He gingerly lays Mako down on his side next to him and motions for Asami to come closer.

"What are you planning to do?" Asami asks.

"I'm going to earthbend our way back to Zaofu." Bolin tells her. It's the closest place he knows of, and he doesn't want to waste precious time getting lost.

Asami looks like she might protest for a moment but then relents. "Well, what are you waiting for?" She asks, giving Bolin her best reassuring smile.

And Bolin is hit with a surge of gratitude for Asami because without her, he's not sure what he would've done today. He can't find the words to express it right now, so he just nods and squares his stance. After his struggle with metalbending, it feels easy to raise a small patch of earth just big enough for the three of them and sets of at a breakneck pace toward Mako's only hope.


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N. Part 2 of what is now a 3-Part One-Shot. Thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope it's alright. **

Bolin's body feels like it's on fire. Every muscle in it seems like it's been stretched out and flayed then crammed back under his skin. His brain feels like it's trying to beat its way out of his skull and the edges of his vision are getting hazy. He's pretty sure the distance between where they wrecked and Zaofu has somehow gotten longer, because it definitely wasn't this far on the way there. He's reached the point of exhaustion and then some, but he doesn't slow down, because every second counts.

Asami's crouched down at Mako's side next to him. Right now, she's holding his brother as steady as she can. She'd taken her jacket off and Bolin had slowed down long enough to toss her his own and now she's using them both to try and staunch the flow of blood seeping around the jagged metal edges in Mako's midsection. Bolin hopes that his brother's closed eyes means he's unconscious, because he knows this isn't the smoothest ride even in the best of circumstances.

Bolin can't spare them much attention though, because it's taking everything he's got just to keep moving forward as fast as he can-which isn't nearly as fast as he'd like. He's starting to wonder if maybe he's been heading the wrong way to get to Zaofu when he spots a familiar metal dome peaking out on the horizon.

"Almost there," he breaths, relieved. He feels a spike of energy propel him forward even faster now with his goal in sight.

Even with his muscles pumping full tilt and his breath coming out in ragged gasps, it feels like ages before they finally make it to the city edge. It feels like even longer before they reach a landing platform for the railway system that can take them into one of the enclosed domes. Two men are standing guard outside the entrance, looking ready for a fight.

"Halt!" One of them, the shorter of the two, shouts before they're 20 paces away. "State your business!"

Bolin can barely suck enough air into his abused lungs to keep breathing, let alone speak. Luckily, Asami's there to take charge. "We're part of the group that came here with the Avatar," Asami says with the air of someone whose orders are always followed, "We were ambushed on our way from the city and one of our party was severely injured. He needs a healer's attention right away."

Instead of having the desired immediate effect, Asami's words only seem to set the guards on edge. The taller one says, "We've had no word about the Avatar leaving the city."

"That's because we left in the middle of the night in secret," Asami tells him, her calm exterior breaking ever-so-slightly with impatience, "You might've heard about a certain fleeing traitor who needs catching."

Both of the guards exchange a look at that, but they still look uncertain. "If you are who you say you are, you must know we've just had an unprecedented break in and cannot let anyone in or out of the city right now."

"I'm sure you can make an exception!" Asami says a little desperately, gesturing to Mako. She's not even trying to keep her voice calm now. Bolin can see the blood that's seeped through both his and Asami's jackets and he's gained enough breath to try and speak, but he's interrupted by one of the guards.

"If you wait with my friend here," the shorter guard says, "I'll alert Commander Beifong of your presence and see if she'll permit your entrance."

"We don't have time for that!" Bolin shouts, because they don't seem to understand, "If you don't let us in, Mako's going to die!"

"I understand, sir, but-"

"I don't think you do!" Bolin says furiously, and he's ready to tear this whole place apart if that's what it takes to get Mako to a healer, but before he can make any decisions he'll regret, Asami cuts him off.

"Listen," she says, obviously struggling to maintain a reasonable tone, "You can tell our friend here isn't going to be able to do much if you let him in, right? Bring him in so he can be treated and we promise we'll wait here. Just, please," and here her voice breaks, "Please. Help him."

Both of the guards seem to be at a loss now and they both glance at each other again, conflict clear on their faces. Bolin wants to shake some sense into them, but he knows that won't get Mako into the city and with a healer any faster, so he waits, grinding his teeth with his heart in his throat, afraid to breathe.

Finally, the taller of the two guards seems to come to a conclusion. "You," he says to Bolin, "Help me load him into the cart. And you," he looks at Asami, "Don't make any sudden moves unless you want Min here to send you on to your next life. Either of you try anything-and I mean _anything_-and you're as good as gone."

Both Asami and Bolin nod their assent eagerly. There's hope fluttering in Bolin's chest now, because they're here and they've made it and now Mako is going to be taken to a healing center. He takes his position at Mako's head and the guard goes to his brother's feet. "On the count of three, we pick him up," the guard says, all business. Bolin nods.

"One...two...three." On three Bolin and the guard lift Mako simultaneously. Mako's eyes fly open and he groans, and he's suddenly panting now that he's once again conscious. He has that wild, pained look again and his eyes search frantically until he's looking straight up at Bolin. Bolin likes to think Mako's rapid breaths slow down at least slightly when he sees him, but he's not sure. He and the guard start making their way to the waiting cart.

"B-Bolin," Mako says between breaths, "I don't...I don't feel too good."

"It's going to be alright," Bolin says even though he's not sure, "We're going to make you better. Just hang on."

His breathing doens't slow, but Mako nods at that and his gaze slides down. But then Mako's eyes are going too far down because they freeze, widening at the sight of the metal protruding from his own stomach. His breathing speeds up and Bolin has to adjust his hold on his brother as Mako lurches weakly.

There's real fear in Mako's eyes when they meet Bolin's again. "Bolin..." He's still gasping, "I-I think...I'm dying..."

And more than anything that's happened so far, it's the sheer terror Bolin sees in Mako that scares him the most. He hasn't seen a look like this on his brother's face since the day they lost their parents. Mako's always been the cool, collected one of the two. Even when situations have pushed Bolin to panic. Mako's always been the one to ground him and help him come out the other side in one piece.

But now it's Mako who's scared, and Bolin who needs to ground him. "You're not going to die, Mako," Bolin says, surprised at the strength in his own voice, "They're going to take care of you and you'll be okay."

They maneuver Mako through the cart door and set him down gently across the passenger seats. Mako's eyes hold Bolin's as if he could keep his brother from moving by sheer force of will. "I have t-...have to tell you...something...before I..."

Bolin stops him from finishing his sentence. He doesn't want to hear how Mako might've ended it. "It's okay, Mako. You can tell me when you're feeling better."

"No!" Mako says, not angry but desperate, trying to reach up toward Bolin, but his hand only flops down uselessly, "I...have to." Mako's not calming down at all, "Was always...scared...afraid you'd...h-hate me..."

"No, no! I could never hate you, Mako," Bolin soothes, but he can't seem to get his brother to stop panicking and making his blood pump too fast. He turns to the guard who helped him to ask if there's something-anything-that they can use to sedate his brother. The guy must've been two steps ahead of him, though, because he's pulling out a pack from what must've been a sealed compartment. He opens it up and pulls out a strange-looking handheld device with a long cylindrical end.

"Dart gun," the guard explains at Bolin's confused look, "Supposed to be used to subdue troublemakers, but I think your friend here could use it right now."

Bolin nods his assent and the guard quickly loads the dart gun and aims it at Mako's arm. "Hold him still."

Bolin does what he says and the guard fires a dart right into the meat of Mako's shoulder. The sting barely seems to register for Mako and he's still looking up at Bolin. Bolin's not sure when it started, but he suddenly realizes that there are tears in Mako's eyes, "I'm...sorry..." Mako says, his breathing quickly losing its intensity as the sedative kicks in, "I'm so sorry...all my fault...Mom and dad..." Mako slumps and would've rolled over onto his stomach if Bolin didn't have a steadying hand on him. Something about what Mako said bothers Bolin, but he doesn't have time to dwell on it. The guard is already ushering him out of the cart and Bolin doesn't fight to try and stay with his brother because it'll only waste time Mako doesn't have.

Bolin flinches when the compartment door slides shut, feeling like someone's clamped a hand on his lungs. The train begins to move, and he wills it to move even faster as it seems to take forever to pick up speed. Finally, it disappears from view over a hill and whatever'd been holding him up before seems to leave him in a rush and he falls to his knees, exhausted.

Asami's at his side almost immediately. "Hey, are you okay?" She asks.

Bolin doesn't answer, just swallows deep lungfuls of air for a second and tries to keep from moving his head too much. Asami seems to understand, though, because she just sits quietly by his side, a reassuring hand on his shoulder. They stay like that, leaning against each other and settling in to wait.

That's all they can do now.

**A.N. Okay, so I apologize. I meant for this to be a two-part one-shot, but it ended up becoming a three-part. I'm already started on part three, so the wait shouldn't be too long!**


	3. Chapter 3

A.N. So this has sort of turned into a monster and I'm not sure how many chapters it will end up being...I have things outlined now though.

* * *

When Mako wakes, it's to a sudden, white-hot pain that flares in his stomach and radiates out through his entire body. Something's moving there and it feels like someone's trying to rip out his insides. He hears someone, maybe even an animal, screaming in pain underneath the sound of his own heartbeat. He tries to move, somehow escape this agony that's unlike anything he's ever felt, but something has him pinned down on his side so he can't get free.

"He's awake!" He hears a voice say, sounding like it's coming from far away. Mako hears the words but doesn't really take in their meaning. Whatever is trying to rip out his insides suddenly stops, though, and the agony in his stomach subsides marginally.

"I thought you said he was sedated!" he hears.

"He was!" The first voice responds fearfully.

"That's not important," he hears another voice, full of authority and subdued anger, "Get him more sedative. Now."

"Yes, ma'am." The fearful voice responds. Seconds later, he feels something prick the skin of his arm. He's not sure why, but his brain suddenly feels like it's filled with cobwebs. It's like he's floating for a moment and he's as weightless as a spirit, and then he's falling. Falling faster and faster until, finally, he's fallen so far he forgets the world around him.

Coming back to the land of the living is slower this time. It's punctuated by brief, violent flashes of memory that only make Mako's return trip to reality more confusing.

He feels the heat of the explosion at Aiwei's after they confront him. Korra acting quickly and saving all of them.

So then why did he feel...?

And he remembers their quiet, determined escape into the night in Su's jeep. They're all running on nothing but fumes. Not good but it can't be helped.

Then later. The trail veers sharply and they separate. Then there's another explosion, and boulders. And then Bolin - crazy, stupid Bolin who hadn't put his seatbelt on - had been thrown from the jeep, looking for all the world like a rag doll and-

Bolin!

Mako sits up with a start. Or at least, he tries to sit up. A wrench of pain in his gut immobilizes him almost immediately and he falls back with a voiceless gasp. Voiceless because the breath's been stolen from him and it takes him a moment to get it back. He's concentrating on just breathing through the pain when he finally notices that someone's standing over him.

"Careful, Mako." says Suyin. "You'll pull your stitches." There's something off about the way she's looking at him, but Mako can't really think through the pain and the fog in his head. He can only really focus on one thing at a time, so he starts with the most important.

"What...?" Mako's voice comes out raw like it's been overworked and he swallows, "Where's Bolin and Asami?"

"A little banged up but otherwise safe and sound. " Suyin tells him. Mako lets out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The words 'safe and sound' echo inside his head like a soothing mantra. He knows he should probably say something, but he settles for reveling in his relief for a moment instead.

"Do you remember what happened?" Suyin asks and Mako looks back up at her, seeing something hard about her face that she doesn't try very hard to hide. He still can't seem to place why that doesn't seem right, but he's having a hard enough time focusing on her question.

"I..." Mako says, wishing it wasn't so hard to think, "We separated when the trail..."

"Korra separated from the rest of you, you mean?" Suyin asks, interrupting.

The silence between her question and his response is unnaturally long as his mind sluggishly changes course, "...Yeah."

"Then you didn't see her after that?"

Something like worry stirs in the back of Mako's mind at that. "No..."

Suyin sighs, apparently disappointed. "And do you have any idea where she might be right now?"

Mako wracks his brain for an answer, but with his brain being useless and having next to nothing to go by, he comes up with nothing. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knows this isn't a good sign for Korra and the worry flares, making his chest feel tight. "I'm sorry..." He tells Suyin, "I don't know."

Suyin nods and sighs, eyes closed as if collecting herself. "I thought as much," she says and takes the few small paces it takes to get from his bed to the door. She pauses there and says with her back to him, "You should go back to sleep, you'll need your rest."

And that really does sound like a great idea, because staying awake with the way he's feeling isn't exactly easy, but he stops her before she opens the door, "Wait!"

"Yes, Mako?" Her back's still turned.

"Will I be able to see Bolin?"

At this she turns to him, and she has a strange, knowing smile that would look warm on someone else's face, but it feels almost menacing on hers for some reason. Whatever's making his brain so mired must be altering his perception or something, because he knows Suyin is anything but menacing.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll be with your brother real soon." Suyin says, the smile never leaving her face as she steps out the door. He hears a click like a lock engaging after she closes it, and even his addled brain wonders at that. But he's already drifting with nothing to keep him awake and pretty soon he falls back into oblivion.

The time before the metal train finally returns is unbearably long. Bolin spends most of it trying to calm the worry in his stomach and not really succeeding. Bolin tries to forget the coppery scent from earlier (blood, he now realizes) but it feels like it's stuck in his nostrils and won't go away. He can't stop seeing Mako's limp and bloodied form in his mind's eye, his midsection a torn-up mess. And the way his eyes had looked just before he'd drifted off...Bolin tries to remember the last time he's seen Mako cry and he can't. It's strange. He'd never really thought about that before.

Despite all this, Bolin must've dozed off, because someone's shaking him awake some time later and he opens his eyes with a start. He'd always been really good at falling asleep in even the most uncomfortable situations if need be. Somehow he'd ended up with his head in Asami's lap and he might've been embarrassed if he wasn't preoccupied with the tall guard from earlier staring down at him.

"Wake up," the man says, "You've been granted entrance to the city."

That's enough to get Bolin moving. He quickly sits up and pushes himself to his feet. He feels the opposite of rested after his impromptu nap, but a gnawing worry about what he might find when they finally bring him to his brother has him on high alert. "Is he...? Does this mean...?" Bolin can't bring himself to finish. Part of him is afraid to hear the answer.

The guard gives Bolin a reassuring smile, which surprises Bolin, but he appreciates it nonetheless. "He's alive," he says simply. Bolin feels as if a weight that's been pressing his ribcage tight has suddenly been lifted and he can breathe again. Alive. Mako's alive. Asami's hand had somehow found its way into his and they both give each other a tight squeeze. If it wouldn't be wildly inappropriate, Bolin would hug the guard.

As it is, he can barely keep his voice steady as he says, "Thank you."

The guard surprises him again by holding Bolin's gaze with an understanding look, "There's no need to thank me."

"No, really," Bolin says, "I know you took a risk taking in my brother like that with orders against it and all, and I appreciate it."

The guard looks uncomfortable now, "Don't mention it. Now get moving. You want to see your brother, don't you?" At that, he and Asami enter the compartment wordlessly behind him.

Arriving at their destination feels like it takes longer then it should, but Bolin stays silent, hands gripping his seat tightly. When they reach the landing platform, their tall guard friend leads them out and toward where Bolin seems to remember seeing a hospital. Halfway down the road, though, they're hailed by another guard.

"Orders from Beifong," the new guard says once he reaches them, "I'm to take these two to see her at the main guard station."

"But I was told to take them to see their companion," Asami and Bolin's guard says.

"I will be. He's been transferred. For security reasons." The other guard says, his businesslike tone taking on an annoyed edge.

"To the main guard station? Where the prison is?" Their guard says, incredulous.

"Maybe it's more easily defended? I don't know. I don't make the orders, I just follow them, like I'm supposed to." The other guard says, even more annoyed now.

Their guard glances at Bolin and Asami, like he's not liking what he's hearing, but he can't think of anything else to say. "I guess this is where we part ways, then." he says.

Bolin isn't exactly happy about this new development either, but he can't seem to find it in himself to really care so long as he gets to see his brother alive and well. "I guess so..." He says, unsure.

Their guard bows his head slightly in farewell and turns to leave. Before he does, Bolin stops him, "Hey...I don't think we ever got your name."

Their guard smiles, "It's Yong." And he leaves.

Bolin wants to tear this place apart with impatience by the time they've reached the main office of the station. They're standing in front of Su with two guards flanking her desk and two more standing at the door.

"I'm glad to see that you two are alive and well," she says, relief in her voice.

"We're lucky to be alive," says Asami, who must've been gifted with the patience of a great spirit. He knows she must be just as anxious as he is to see that Mako's alright, but she's talking to Su in that calm, polite tone that reminds Bolin she comes from money.

"So I hear," says Su, growing grave. "That's what I needed to talk to you about."

"About the accident?" Asami asks, "I'm afraid I don't remember much."

"No," says Su, "About before, when you separated from the Avatar. She's gone missing, and we're trying to retrace her steps."

Oh no. Bolin and Asami both exchange a look. They'd been so intent on saving Mako that they'd left Korra to fend for herself. And now she was missing. She could be anywhere by now. What if Zaheer and the others had managed to capture her? They could be doing anything to her by now, and she had no one to help her.

"Rest assured," Su says, "We're doing everything we can to find her. We've managed to follow her trail right up until it separates from the jeep, but then it vanishes. We were hoping maybe you two could provide some insight that might help."

Bolin searches his memory for something that might help, but the last he remembers seeing of Korra was just before they separated, and that was it. He just keeps coming up empty-handed. As much as Bolin wants to, he can't seem to think of anything useful.

"I'm sorry..." Bolin says shaking his head miserably, "I don't know." Asami's silence speaks for her.

After scrutinizing the two of them for a moment, Su finally let's out a resigned sigh. "I was hoping you two could at least provide some helpful information, but I suppose I as wrong."

There's a sinking, guilty feeling in the pit of Bolin's stomach and he looks down.

But there's a coldness in her next words that brings Bolin's eyes back up to stare at her, "Oh well," she says, "I guess it can't be helped." And if Bolin didn't know any better, he would've said the cold, calculating person in front of him was someone else in Su's body. Except he does know better, and it makes his stomach feel like it's filled with lead.

"I suppose you'll do just fine as hostages, at the very least," she says, and smiles when both Asami and Bolin's eyes widen. For a moment, a pin could drop and it'd be loud as thunder, everything is so silent.

"I'm sorry," Bolin says with a strained smile, "I must've heard you wrong, because it sounded like you just said we were hostages...or...something..." Bolin's voice trails off as all four guards in the room begin approaching him and Asami.

It can't be right. It has to be some sort of nightmare. But Bolin's not waking up and the guards are still approaching.

Bolin shakes his head, "Su, there's got to be some sort of mistake here," he pleads, "I mean, we're friends, right?"

Su sighs, "Oh, poor, trusting, little Bolin." She says, "I'd love to stay here and spell it all out for you, but I have important business to take care of," a wicked smile crosses her face, "You know, rising to power and all that."

"You mean standing on the corpses of people who trusted you," Asami says, a familiar baleful look in her eyes.

Anger flashes in Su's eyes and she throws a restraining strip of metal at Asami, slamming her against the wall almost before Bolin can blink. "Don't talk to me about trust," she says. Her voice is dangerously low and the guards pause, "My own sister would've had me imprisoned. And for what? Order? The status quo?" She scoffs, "No. Anyone stupid enough to trust someone else completely deserves whatever they have coming to them."

Bolin had been moving surreptitiously while she spoke, adopting a bending stance as subtly as possible while Su and the guards were distracted by Asami. He's just about to earthbend with every last ounce of energy he has left in him when he feels something hard slam into his back, pinning him to the floor. Then he feels cold metal clamp down on his wrists and pull them back behind him.

The metal pinning him around the waist wraps around his torso and pulls him upright to face Su. He strains against the metal at his wrists, his attempts at metalbending hampered by his restricted movements and the other, much more experienced metalbenders controlling the metal that holds him.

"Take them to his brother," Su tells the guards, "They've got a little reunion to get to."

A.N. I hope you enjoyed. Thank you very much for reading! And thanks again to all you thoughtful people leaving reviews. They really make my day.

I'm kind of worried about how people might react to certain things in this chapter...

I have to apologize to any fans of Suyin. I actually love her character and what she brought out in Lin, but I've been entertaining this idea of "What if" for a little bit, and fanfic for me is all about expanding on "what if."

Also...I'm sort of looking for a beta reader. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I re-read my work, I'm constantly finding mistakes each time. I think it would really help to have outside eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

Mako wishes he could go back to sleep as soon as he wakes, but the sharp pain in his gut demands his attention and it's hard to think about much else, let alone relax enough to sleep. He keeps his eyes closed anyway, hoping that by some miracle, he'll fade back out. The medicine that had made it so hard to form a coherent thought earlier must've worn off by now. It must've also been doing something for the pain, because it feels worse rather than better. Just breathing makes it feel like someone's driving a knife into his stomach. Mako tries his best to continue his time-honored practice of burying it in the back of his mind, but it's a bit more than even he can ignore.

Finally, after enough time unsuccessfully trying to fall asleep, he grits his teeth and opens his eyes. He's not sure what exactly he was expecting, but the sight that greets him definitely isn't it. After spending some not-so-welcome time in one before, he recognizes the small confining room for what it is almost immediately. And if the seamless metal walls leave him in any doubt, the barred window of the door makes things crystal clear. He shoves his panic as far into the back of his mind as possible. He's in a prison cell. But how? And why?

He makes as if to try and move, but a rattling noise and a weight on his ankle stops him before he can get very far. "What the...?" He mutters. He pulls off a thin cotton blanket he'd barely noticed was on him to reveal a thick band of metal around his ankle. It's attached to a chain that in turn is attached to the wall. The sight sends a bolt of awareness through him that causes him to consider his surroundings again.

He's in a corner laid out on a futon that is surprisingly thick, considering the place he's in. There's another, empty futon, much thinner-looking, on the opposite wall. The door looks so heavily reinforced it'd probably give Toph Beifong herself a run for her money. There's a toilet and a sink on his right, close enough to reach despite the chain around his ankle. He's really not sure what the point of the stupid chain is, anyway. If the metal walls weren't already enough to keep him in, his condition would keep him from making it anywhere far. This just seems like overkill.

Who would be so thorough? Mako wonders, doing his best to fall back on the familiar patterns of investigation. Think, he tells himself, What do you remember?

Without the medicine bogging him down, Mako's memories come a bit easier this time around. There are still huge chunks of time missing though, and the hazy bits he does remember only make him more worried and confused. He tries not to dwell on them too much, picking through the patchwork of his recollection for the important pieces. The last thing he remembers is seeing Suyin. He must be in Zaofu, then, but that didn't explain why he would be in a prison cell chained to the wall. Alone.

He remembers enough to know that Bolin and Asami are alive, but beyond that, he can't think of a reason for them being gone and his current predicament. Unless...Mako's eyes widen in horror. No. They were fine. Suyin even said so. Mako's sure he remembers that right. Could swear he even remembers seeing them with his own eyes. But if she was worried about him overexerting himself, she might've downplayed the danger they were in to keep him calm.

"Hello?" Mako rasps weakly, his throat dry and his tongue feeling too big for his mouth. "Anybody there?"

Even to his own ears, Mako's voice is too quiet. After a moment without so much as a whisper in response, he clears his throat and takes a breath to speak again, hopefully with a little more force. Before he can say anything else, though, he hears a commotion coming from outside. Huh. Maybe they had heard him after all.

He waits patiently and listens closely, wishing he were sitting up or something a little more dignified than lying flat on his back. To his surprise, he realizes he recognizes one of the voices coming from outside, along with what sounds like some sort of scuffle. It's Bolin, managing to sound anxious, indignant, and placating all at the same time. As they come closer, Mako's able to make out more of the words coming from his brother.

"...really necessary? I mean, I'm not really much of a bender and Asami isn't...is not. A bender, I mean. It's not like-" Bolin's voice is cut off by the sound of earth hitting flesh, accompanied by a sharp cry of pain from his younger brother. Mako feels his blood begin to boil instantly.

"I said shut up and keep walking!" A hard voice yells, "Stop struggling or the next time won't be so gentle!"

The scuffling noise and Bolin's voice quiet and Mako thanks the spirits for small favors. Sometimes Bolin can't seem to keep his mouth shut to save his skin, but it seems like this time around, his little brother has wisely picked the path of least resistance. Finally, the footsteps reach just outside Mako's door and pause. "Try anything funny and your brother in there will get it." The same hard voice warns and Mako feels his eyes narrow.

Mako hears the sound of the lock being turned and soon the heavy metal door to his cell opens slowly to reveal the welcome sight of his brother. Bolin's eyes widen when they spot Mako lying on his futon. He's about to rush to Mako's side when he's shoved roughly into the cell and with his hands and feet chained as they are, he loses his balance and lands on his hands and knees. The door slams shut behind him and Bolin glares back at it almost petulantly. "Ow! What was that for? I was already going inside!"

Mako wants to warn his brother to be quiet but he's interrupted by the guard speaking at the bars to their cell door, "Just a little reminder to you about who's in charge here," the guard says, and Mako can see his teeth gleaming in the dim light, "I have orders to pass on a little message: Play nice, and your brother here will be taken care of. Try anything stupid, and his care might get a little...lax."

Mako feels a flare of intense hatred burn through him. They have some nerve using him against his own brother like this. If they think they're going to get away with it, they have another thing coming. But like Bolin before, he wisely keeps his mouth shut, though he can feel his jaw muscles twitch.

The guard leaves with his teeth still smiling and Mako's so focused on the retreating footsteps for a moment that he almost starts when Bolin whips around to face him. "Mako." He says and his face loses all the hard lines meant for the guard and crumples. He comes to Mako in a rush, arms gripping his sibling to pull him into a hug, only to stop short when an involuntary cry escapes Mako.

"Oh, man! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you okay?" Bolin asks, the words tumbling out in a rush.

"I'm fine," Mako says, smothering a grimace and schooling his features into a neutral mask almost automatically. He's not sure who he's trying to fool because Bolin knows him better than anyone and can almost definitely see right through him, but he does it anyway. He studies Bolin, taking in the angry red lump and the dried blood on the side of his face. His clothes are a mess, ripped and torn in some places and covered in dirt. And his exposed skin is covered in numerous small cuts and bruises but thankfully nothing looks like it's too serious aside from possibly the head wound. "You're a mess," Mako tells him, not bothering to hide the relief in his voice.

Bolin pauses to give himself a once over like it's the first time he's stopped to consider his own well being. Typical Bolin, Mako thinks. "I haven't exactly had a chance to clean myself up," Bolin says, feigning indignance. But then he eyes Mako and his face sobers, "Besides, you don't look so hot yourself."

"I've felt better," Mako concedes, knowing it's pointless to deny it but unwilling to elaborate. "I'm not the one who flew out of the jeep, though."

Bolin grimaces and Mako thinks he's successfully steered the conversation away from himself when Bolin speaks again, "No, but you were definitely worse off." His face takes on a haunted look that has Mako wishing more than anything that he's not the cause. He was supposed to take care if his little brother. It was his job. Yet all he can manage right now is to lie on his back like an invalid and do his best not to grimace at the steady pulse of pain coming from his wounded stomach.

"Listen, Bolin," Mako says, deciding it's time to change the subject. He's glad to see his brother, but it's clear they're not out of the woods just yet, "Do you know what's going on? Why are we in here? And where're the others?"

"You mean you don't know?" Bolin asks and Mako shoots him a look, "Oh, right. You were probably kind of out of it..." Bolin's face takes on a guilty look, "What's the last thing you remember?"

"I remember the chase and then the crash. And waking up and seeing Suyin...next thing I know, I'm here." Mako tells him.

"So you haven't found out, then," Bolin says, looking resigned.

"Found out what?" Mako grinds out, growing impatient.

"That Su is a traitor."

"A traitor...?" Mako echoes dumbly, then stops. Because of course. It makes perfect sense. He's surprised it took him this long to figure it out. The reason he remembers seeing Suyin and the odd way she'd looked at him. And the fact that they're in a prison cell now. It all points to the same thing. It looks like they had a lot of work ahead of them. They're going to have to warn the Avatar somehow.

Mako pauses then, suddenly remembering Suyin's questions about Korra in a whole new light. He looks up at his brother, wide-eyed, "They don't have Korra?" It comes out as a half-statement, half question. There's only one reason Suyin would have asked those questions earlier.

Bolin shakes his head, "No."

"Thank goodness for small favors..." Mako says with a sigh of relief. That makes things a little easier. Now all they'll have to worry about is finding a way out of this place. There's no way both of them can stay, though. Whatever Suyin has planned for them, it can't be good,

"Yeah..." Bolin says, then he looks uneasy, "They have Asami though. They put her in a cell down the hall from us."

"Damn." Mako says, resisting the urge to grip his stomach as a particularly painful throb suddenly runs up his spine. He'd been hoping she was still on the outside somehow. "We'll just have to add freeing her to the to-do list."

"What to-do list?" Bolin asks, looking like he used to when they were kids and Mako would tell him about his latest money-making scheme.

"The to-do list that includes getting out of here, finding Korra, and telling her about Suyin before it's too late." Mako explains matter-of-factly.

"And how are we going to do that?" Bolin looks concerned for Mako's sanity now.

"We're not."

"Okay," Bolin says, "You're going to have to explain a little better than that, because I'm starting to get mixed signals here. And no offense, big bro, but you're not exactly in any condition to be making any daring prison escapes right now."

Mako sighs, dreading what he's going to have to say next, "I meant what I said. _We're _not going to be doing anything. You are. Well, you and Asami, I mean."

"Wait. Hold on a second," Bolin sputters, "Say that again. I don't think I understood you."

"If it sounds like I'm saying you're going to have to make an escape for it with Asami, you understood correctly." Mako says patiently.

"No," Bolin says, his tone growing dangerous, "It sounds like you're trying to tell me to leave you behind while Su does who-knows-what to you. And that's not going to happen."

"Bolin, it's not about leaving me behind," Mako says, growing impatient, "It's about being practical. You said it yourself, I'm not exactly in top condition right now. Whatever may or may not happen to me is child's play compared to what could happen to the world if-"

"_No._" Bolin says, meeting Mako's gaze head on. The hard look Mako sees on his little brother's face startles him. He's never seen his brother this grim before. "I already almost lost you once today. I'm not about to go through that again."

Mako doesn't know what to say to that. He'd been so caught up in his own problems and what they were dealing with right now that he hadn't really considered just what Bolin had gone through today. They'd both gotten pretty banged up before, but he's pretty sure this is the closest either of them has seen the other come to death before. "Bolin..." Mako says, his voice unsure, "Listen. We can talk about this more later. Let's...let's talk about escape plans for now." Bolin still doesn't look convinced so he adds, "Maybe we'll come up with a way for all of us to get out." Mako's not sure he really believes that, but he hopes it'll pacify his brother. At least for now.

Bolin eyes him steadily for one long moment, his face conveying just how unhappy he is. But finally, he relents, "Fine," he says, with an almost childlike glare, "But don't think this means you've won. We're _going _to think of a way to get out. _All _of us."

Bolin holds his brother's gaze until Mako throws up his arms defensively, "Alright, alright. Whatever you say, little bro."

Bolin finally nods his assent, and they sit in heavy silence for a moment. "So..." Mako says awkwardly, "Any ideas?"

To Mako's surprise, rather than being at a loss, Bolin suddenly grows mischievous. "As a matter of fact, I know something that might help us," he says with a smile.

* * *

"Are you planning on telling me any time soon, or are we going to stay here till one of us keels over?" Mako asks after Bolin doesn't continue. Bolin smiles wider, surprised at how much he's relishing this moment despite the conversation he'd just had with his brother.

"Well," he says, going to the foot of the bed where his brother's foot is chained to the wall. "It's more like _showing _you."

"What do you-?" Mako starts.

"Sh!" Bolin hushes him, "I need to concentrate."

Mako looks like he's about to argue, but, seeing the look on Bolin's face, he quickly clamps his mouth shut and watches in silence. Bolin takes a deep breath, hands hovering over Mako's chained ankle. He begins moving them the way Su had done before when demonstrating for Korra. It's almost funny how much Su has indirectly helped him today. Bolin wonders if she'll laugh when he uses her teachings against her later.

He opens his awareness again, searching for the earth within the metal, finding it more easily this time. With a movement of his hand, Bolin bends the metal band apart and Mako lets out a startled gasp. He peers down at his now-free ankle, open-mouthed. After gaping for what feels like an eternity, Mako finally turns to face Bolin. If he lives for another one-hundeed years, Bolin will never forget the look of fierce pride and wonder on his brother's face at that moment. "Bolin," Mako breathes, "You can_ metalbend_."

* * *

**A.N. **I apologize for the ridiculously long wait for this chapter! Thank you so so much for favoriting/following/reviewing and sticking around for this next update! It's really encouraging and I appreciate it more than you know. Thank you in particular to Bolinlover123 for your impatient support. It keeps me from giving up on this despite how crazy RL's suddenly gotten. I promise the wait for the next chapter won't be nearly as long!

Also, I'm still on the lookout for a **beta reader**. If anyone is up for it, I would be ever-so-grateful!


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